U21 shooters target busy summer

The Cayman Islands Netball Association will have its focus on a trio of priorities in the national Under-21 team, George Town summer camps and its indoor mixed league.

The U21 squad takes centre stage next month at the World Youth Netball Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on 22-31 August. The world championships take place every four years with the last event on the Cook Islands in 2009. Australia are the reigning champions and some 20 countries will be participating this year.

Cayman will be led by national coach Gillian Lee, who has put the girls through training at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex netball courts since last September.

In recent weeks, the U21 team members have engaged in fundraising drives to help cover expenses related to the Scotland trip. Last Friday, for example, the girls were in George Town selling raffle tickets.

Focus stays with the youth as a pair of $20 summer camps take place at John Gray High School on 15-19 July. The first session, designed for primary and grade school kids in years 1-6, occurs 8.30-11.30am. The second group, aimed at high school children in grades 7-11, is slated for 12.30-3.30pm. Participants are asked to bring snacks and a water bottle to each session.

The Camana Bay Summer Mixed League is up next on 5 September. Matches are slated to run at Camana Bay’s Arts and Recreation Centre on Thursdays for about a month, culminating on 17 October. There is a maximum of 15 players per side and a team fee of $500 per squad, with registration ending on 23 August.

Heading into 2013, the top sides are last year’s winners Rising Stars, behind Collin Anglin, the Blazers, who marched through the regular season unbeaten behind Gavin Watts and Stay Alive, the consolation winners who featured Ovaine Monteith.